Nobility for a Thief

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Neiva sighed. "You're not going to give up...band he sent you to get me and the horse... right? Fine. I'll go back. But I'm not speaking to him for a day. You're a stubborn one... I know you wouldn't stop bugging me until I give in eventually. " She said as she packed up her things, what little bit there was, and walked out of the house collecting the horse from Matt and headed back to camp.

Edited July 7, 2015 by AroaraAngelwolf

[Vorgin]

Solessa smiled, "If it helps at all, if you refused for sure, you could keep the horse."

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"Then your brother would come stomping back here and take it and drag me back. I won't have it. I am still a lady, and I won't take to being carried back like some cave woman."She said as she got back to camp and kept her things packed. "Could I sleep in your tent tonight so tomorrow we only need to pack up a little more before leaving?" She asked Solessa.

 

Rob looked at Neiva. "Neiva... I was wondering.. why did you leave?" The woman stiffened and spoke calmly. "Let it never be said that I'm not a woman of my word. That's all I want to tell you." He nodded and went to his tent to sleep.

Edited July 7, 2015 by AroaraAngelwolf

[Vorgin]

Solessa nodded, that's fine by me, besides you aren't a hostage any more." She quickly went into Xel's tent to update him. He sighed, "One day of silence... Fine... But she better not push it. I won't give her the baby treatment..." Solessa went back out and into her tent. "..."

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Neiva had changed to her nightgown again. ".....Something wrong?" She asked tilting her head as she let her hair down. She crawled into bed and sighed heavily looking at her bandaged hand.

 

She spoke after a long while. "Sometimes... I wish I wasn't like this... so white and pale and..... freakish...... That I had rich black hair... normal colored skin and blue eyes.. dark blue eyes... the color of a moonless night. I wonder.... if my life would have been different then. Who I'd marry, if my parents would dote on me... if... I would be the same as I am now...." She said softly.

[Vorgin]

Solessa rolled over to look at Neiva, "But then you would be different, you would most likely be like your sister. One of wealth, not values... And if that was true, we would despise you just the same, not that you would care in that position..."

[AroaraAngelwolf]

".........then we probably wouldn't have met at all.... well, through kidnapping anyway... I get tired of being seen as different. I don't like it. It makes me feel like I'm not even considered human at times..." She yawned. "Best get some sleep, a long day ahead of us tomorrow..." She rolled over and closed her eyes.

[Vorgin]

Solessa stared at the tent ceiling for a bit before drifting off. When morning came, foot steps were heard as two guards came to the camp, Xel already outside. They seemed to be questioning him about him and the people of his group. He told them to go away for none of them had anything to do with the fire. Refusing any further conversation, the guards left grumbling.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Neiva got dressed and came out when they left. "Seems like my father is pretty upset about his silk and velvet tent.... " She said flatly as she got fresh fruit out of the basket and started eating them. "We should eat these, three more days of being out in the sun, these would wrinkle and dry out. " She popped a raspberry in her mouth and Rob, who was also up took a bit handful and ate two or three at a time.

[Vorgin]

Solessa took some, "I can manage dried fruit. Raisins are a good travel snack." She took some bits. Xel had went back to his tent doing unknown stuff. So far he hasn't eaten.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"True, but raspberries and black berries aren't to good dried..." She said as she ate the rest in her hand and packed up the rest of the stuff they had and sighed. "Well everything is packed and ready now!"

[Vorgin]

Solessa nodded, "But we still got that meeting to attend." Xel came outside, "Indeed. If Neiva would like, she can watch over camp while we go. She isn't officially in the guild so she doesn't need to go."

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"You guys have to go. I'll stay and finish up.. maybe scrounge up walnuts from squirrels.. they go well with raisins. I'm not a member so why attend? And don't worry.. I won't run off. If those guards come back I'd have ol' Jill here kick them.. right girl?" She patted the horse before hugging Solessa and started getting out grapes to dry and ripping up tall sweet grass for the horses.

[Vorgin]

Solessa smiled, "Right. We will be back Neiva." Xel nodded and led them to a large tent, not as big as the main one but big enough for the Thieve's guild. Xel led them to their seats, closer to the front.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

((No idea what to do now for guild leader..))

 

The leader, Sarah, sat relaxed spinning a small knife in her fingers as everyone took their place. "Everyone here?... good... Now, our..... alliance with the merchant's guild has thinned with last night's.... unfortunate fire. It was clear it was arson, and I'm sure by the guards tramping about, you've all noticed that they think it's one of us. Other than that out trade was successful.. although there may not be another if... a certain noble keeps sticking his fat belly in our way and ruining our business. Black market clientele have started being no shows from the boost in the guard. I'm afraid we have to take them underground... quite literally and figuratively. Stay in pairs, watch each others backs;keep in the shadows and the night. This can't last too long. Our loyalty may falter, but birds of a feather, flock together as they say. Am I right!?" She said loudly to the group.

 

Neiva hummed as she finished packing up and sighed happily. All finished. Weapons put within reach on the horses, tents folded tightly and placed with all the parts needed for them. Sleeping rolls formed a small pyramid on Jack's saddle back. Horses fed and watered, and the canteens full to the brim and food punches where full of nuts and berries and a leftover muffin or two. All set to go!

[Vorgin]

Pretty much every nodded and yelled in agreement. Xel then stood up, "...if I recall, it was a noble's tent that caught on fire. And because of that, the nobles are trying to make this a reason to arrest us all. We rarely come out all together in one place... whos to say they dont have guards all around this camp? They should have never to come to begin with, we have a long lasting agreement with the merchants. The nobles can go to hell!" A good number of people yelled in agreement to Xel.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

"It is one particular noble in question. The guild is putting a hiatus on our exchanges and many lost valuables in the fire and until this "investigation" settles. The leaders themselves aren't the ones pointing fingers.... Xel.." She throws the knife at his feet as she got up. "There is only one noble in the merchant's guild, so why use the plural terms? Merchants are common folk like us. It seems to me you're a little... heated about this. She paced. "This thinning agreement is about this noble. I said we wouldn't do business with him at all, and to do something about him. But they are a spineless bunch, and refused to be rid of their rich backer. So far, they said his actions has no guild involvement. I am all with you, but I know a few good noble dignitaries of foreign lands and they aren't all bad.... but.. every tree has a few bad fruits. Sooo.. Xel.. care to explain your sudden knowledge of which tent caught fire when I didn't say anything about the tent? And I suspect... your crew didn't either, given Solessa was the only one left to inspect the damage?" She walked slowly up to him like a stalking panther tilting her head as she stopped a few feet away.

[Vorgin]

Xel held his ground, "I was heading back to camp when the fire hit, as for how I know where it hit, I heard on my way here. Everyone was talking about it. Finally... this one noble has more like him under a king. Who knows if he would get them up and arms against the guild here. I, like you, care for our guild's safety. We are already thieves, but who knows what would happen if they through a kill order on us?"

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Sarah narrowed her eyes at him and raised an eyebrow nodded slightly. She stepped back and walked the room. "True, we all should be hanging in the gallows somewhere.... That's why I'm ordering all of you to keep your ear to the ground and lay low. Don't draw attention to yourselves... then again.."

 

She stopped and smiled spreading her hands as she looked at the group. "We are thieves.... Being nearly undetectable is in the job description..." that got a quite a few few chuckles and smiles. "Keep an eye on those guards! They do anything suspicious, report to me! They can't know all of our faces, they make a arrest suddenly, let me know! Those who throw stones in the lion's den get the lioness!" She drew another dagger. The lioness is what some of the guild called her,... having gone through three different men to her current husband and the way she fought with two sharp daggers held like fangs when she pounced on victims.

 

A cheer went up and some started to leave when she turned her back and headed behind her chair, a unsaid sign of dismissal. "Xel, could you hand me that dagger between your feet? Solessa dear, Why don't you take the others back to camp to see how that new girl... Neiva.. is fairing with the packing?" in other words, "I need to speak with Xel privately." The tent cleared out quickly.

Edited July 8, 2015 by AroaraAngelwolf

[Vorgin]

Solessa nodded and took the others back to camp.

 

Xel took the dagger and held it out to Sarah, but she she grabbed it, he didn't let go right away, "I hope your not going to start questioning me. I already was this morning, and I have nothing left to say." He looses his grip on the dagger.

[AroaraAngelwolf]

She took her dagger and put it back in it's housing with its twin. "only one question. Why? It seems that girl is getting under your skin... arson.. that isn't how you play Xel..... You're more honorable then that, ....You wanted to get a message across....a message only you can understand..... Why?" She said softly. She wasn't angry, nothing in her voice, body or eyes said that she was, only curious about her member's action. "That move put us all in danger, something that contradicts your said concern for our safety.... Something set my calmest, most collective soldier off and I only want to know what it was... So please, enlighten me if you will. You know not a word of this conversation is breathed to a soul outside this tent."

 

 

 

Neiva was there with fruit, this time apples and a small collection of Matt's traps she found and triggered purposely, just the ones nearest to the camp and that she could find.. some were too hidden for her. The fire was out and she had washed and dried everyone's cloaks. She had on her thick cloak hiding in the shadows avoiding sunlight.

 

 

Matt gathered up the bit she collected leaving the rest. He can make more later when they get settled into a new place.

Edited July 8, 2015 by AroaraAngelwolf

[Vorgin]

Xel sighed, "Why... Because human lives aren't meant to be treated like garbage... It was one thing when it comes to us... But a girl being tossed away because of her physical condition. I can't stand this lack of humanity... I could see it all the time watching nobles at the military academy. But greed so strong to disregard a human her rights... Now that's just monsterous." He sighed but smirked, "Luckily... I never lit anything on fire. I just did what a thief does, steal. That noble isn't a true merchant guild member, so he is not under the agreement of honesty and respect."

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Sarah tapped her nose and waged her finger at him with a smile. "I like the way you think. That he is not. Only a honorary member. Now if I were you, it hop to the next two towns over and stay there. It's a bit of a ride for the new girl.. but I'm sure you'll take care of her. Not baby her, but make sure she's not going to collapse on you again. Now go on, high tail it back to camp like my digger is at your back. Go on, go." She waved him away and sat at a desk with a map spread across it and moved a little piece of wood to two towns in the south, along the path the camp was at. This was her way of keeping track of groups. Singular people where harder to track.

[Vorgin]

Xel smiled, "Yes ma'am. I'll see you back at the Guild hall in a week or so." With that he headed to the camp which Solessa had gotten the others to pack up into the horses and into packs to suit each person. "All ready Xel." Xel nodded, "Saddle up! Time to hit the road before the rain comes in and makes it muddy."

[AroaraAngelwolf]

Neiva carried her things in a pack and lead the horses. She had a canteen, her fan and smelling salts, one vile she gave to Solessa so she wakes faster and recovers quickly on the journey. She threw a apple to Xel, then handed him his cloak that was draped over her arm, along with his water canteen and food punch. He and Solessa both got two muffins in theirs- Rob had one but a bunch of blueberries, his favorite- without a word to him at all.

Edited July 8, 2015 by AroaraAngelwolf